Technology has helped a delivery boy conquer a steep hill in Dorset more than 40 years after he struggled to climb it.

Carl Barlow was the ‘boy on the bike’ in the iconic nostalgia-themed Hovis advert of 1973 filmed on the picturesque cobbled street of Gold Hill in Shaftesbury.

It was perhaps one of the toughest working journeys ever committed to film, and was directed by Ridley Scott, who has gone on to make blockbusting Hollywood movies and was knighted in 2003.

Forty-four years later and Carl, now a 58-year-old retired firefighter, rode up the hill with ease thanks to pedal power in a stunt to promote electric bikes.

In an effort to remove the stigma around e-bikes, and show how they could revolutionise commuting, Evans Cycles worked with Mr Barlow to help him finally finish his steep commute at Gold Hill.

A promotional film showing Mr Barlow making light work of Gold Hill on an ebike.

Watch it here: 

As the film shows, Gold Hill is hard work on a standard bike, with multiple riders attempting the hill with little success, before Mr Barlow glides up.

Recalling his return to Gold Hill after 44 years, Mr Barlow, from London, said: "It was kind of strange, because I came here and I was watching a few people taking photographs and listening to them say ‘oh this is from that advert where the boy pushed the bike up the hill’, little knowing they were standing right next to me.”

He added: “My memories of filming the original ad are ones of wonderment. It was awesome, I was a 13 year old kid, it was an experience.

“Only later, the director Ridley Scott became so famous.

“He said it was going to be his last commercial, because he was going into films he told me.

“He used to let me look in the camera, and try and explain to me what he shot he wanted and how he wanted me to do it.

If anyone’s ever been here, you know how steep it is.

“When I made the original we tried to do a bit of cycling but it was impossible.

“You had to push the bike up the hill. It was very hard work.”